Applying Corro Tech to bilge keels

[Helvic hunter]

I would like some advice - I have a bilge keeled hunter 265 and I plan to apply coppercoat to the hull and keels this spring. The keels are rusty and covered in antifoul plus what appears to be a thin epoxy layer in places. How far realistically do I need to angle grind the keels for the corro tech and eventually the coppercoat to stick! Incidentally, do I need to sand the hull back to white gel coat or is the grey primer previously applied below the antifoul tolerable

M

 

[Elessar]

I would like some advice - I have a bilge keeled hunter 265 and I plan to apply coppercoat to the hull and keels this spring. The keels are rusty and covered in antifoul plus what appears to be a thin epoxy layer in places. How far realistically do I need to angle grind the keels for the corro tech and eventually the coppercoat to stick! Incidentally, do I need to sand the hull back to white gel coat or is the grey primer previously applied below the antifoul tolerable

M

Keels.

There is no guarantee that the rust wont return, but the shinier and cleaner the keels, the better your chances. If there is sound epoxy on the keels, leave it on. To test if it is epoxy see below.

RE grey primer, test it with acetone. If it stains a white acetone rag, it must come off.

 

[Helvic hunter]

Thanks Elessar for that advice. Incidentally how do you check to see if it is epoxy. I would love to have sand or soda blasted the hull but the boat yard would not allow private contractors in and quoted 1600 euros to strip the antifoul off the 27 foot hull not including the keels. On a matter of principle only, I decided to take on this mammoth challenge!

M